Nothing fancy here, just tried and true, old fashioned, family style recipes from my kitchen in Alaska.

Friday, July 10, 2009

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

I made these strawberry cupcakes yesterday and they were a big hit. The recipe is a great "cheater recipe" that I've used for years. Basically it is a dry cake mix + a 20 ounce can of fruit filling + 3 eggs. That's it!It produces an extremely moist and flavorful cake! You can use ANY dry cake mix and ANY canned fruit pie filling so the combinations are endless. Our favorite is chocolate with cherry pie filling but we've also thoroughly enjoyed chocolate cake with raspberry pie filling, spice cake with peach pie filling, spice cake with apple pie filling and yellow cake mix with lemon pie filling.

For the cupcakes posted today, I combined a box of Betty Crocker strawberry cake mix (ignore any directions on the box) with a 20 ounce can of Wilderness strawberry pie filling and three eggs. Beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes (batter will be a little thicker than you expect). Fill paper lined cupcake pans about 2/3 full and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Oh so yummy!NOTE: Don't worry about the "chunks" of fruit in the pie filling. When you mix it into the cake mix with your electric mixer, the fruit will break up (which is what you want).NOTE: This recipe is not suited for white cake mixes for some reason. They taste good, but have a strange color after they are baked.NOTE: The weight on most cans of pre-prepared pie filling is different...some cans are 18 ounces some are 20 ounces. This measurement doesn't seem to be crucial. Just get the size can closest to 20 ounces that you can find.NOTE: This recipe works very well for sheet cakes as well as layer cakes. Just use the toothpick test for doneness instead of the baking times on the cake mix box. After you remove the cake from the pan, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and let it cool. Keep covered until you frost the cake.

Buttercream Frosting1 cup of UNSALTED butter (room temperature)1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon almond extract4 cups powdered sugar1/4 cup milkfood coloring (optional)Cream the butter with an electric mixer until it gets fluffy. Add everything else and beat on medium speed until everything is well mixed, then beat on high speed until it is smooth and fluffy.NOTE: These cupcakes are topped with Wilton's sparkle sprinkles (clear).

Yay, I'm so excited to try this! I always have a couple of mixes in the pantry as I buy 'em when they're buy one, get one. I believe I have a few that needs using up! So fast, so easy, so good? Why not?! Thanks for sharing both the recipe and tidbits about yourself! :)

Just popped in from Gloria's Food & Flavors of San Antonio. Your cupcakes sound simple; yet enticing. However, I am slightly more intrigued by your frankness. Really, do I know you because; we share an uncanny amount of similarities. Congrats! on the award! Bookmarked!

I have been following your blog for several months and you have inspired me to start my own blog spot. It is peggyspantry.blogspot.com. Thanks for all of your great recipes. I wish I would have had the strawberry cupcake recipe when I was helping with my niece's wedding in May. Thanks again.